According to Variety, the global rights to our “heroes in the half-shell” were picked up by Nickelodeon, a division of Viacom, for $60MM from Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment.  Nickelodeon will begin developing a new CG-animated (think Toy Story, not Disney’s Robin Hood) TV series packed with turtle power to begin airing in 2012.  Paramount Pictures (also owned by Viacom) will be putting the Turtles back on the big screen in 2012 as well.

Scott Mednick, executive producer of Where the Wild Things Are is set to produce the new film. Nickelodeon will be working with its regular co-collaborator, Playmate Toys, on action-figures, etc.

Ever since the announcement of a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, fans around the world have anxiously waited to learn more about the film. Would it be fun and family-friendly like the previous live-action TMNT films? Or, would the story be edgier and more violent like the original TMNT comics? Producers Scott Mednick and Galen Walker were on hand at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con to answer some of these questions and more.

Last week Screen Rant reported on a possible new writer for the new live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie in the form of John Fusco (Young Guns). The semi-confirmation came when TMNT fan site Ninja Pizza picked up on a report put up on (and quickly removed from) TMNT25.com that listed Fusco as the writer.

However, it has just recently been officially confirmed that Fusco will write the live-action TMNT reboot, which is to be produced by Scott Mednick (300, Superman Returns) and Galen Walker (TMNT).

With all the announcements leading up to this year’s Comic-Con, it would be easy for a smaller story to get lost in the shuffle. Thankfully, we live in the age of the Internet, where nothing escapes the eyes of diligent fanboys such as the writers of Ninja Pizza, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan-site.

In a recent post, which was picked up by /Film, Ninja Pizza noted that John Fusco (of Young Guns fame) was listed as the screenwriter of the 2011 live-action TMNT film in a recent article for TMNT25.com. Because the article has since been removed (undoubtedly because a proper announcement was not made first), Fusco’s involvement in the film should be seen as speculative. However, it’s about as close to a confirmation as you can get, so let’s start asking ourselves, “What does this mean for TMNT?”

This week:

Bruno is the box office king; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’s want You; Hollywood loves Hooker; Jason Statham goes on a Blitz; Zooey Deschanel is Your Highness and Robert DeNiro and Paul Schrader see The Dying of The Light.

Back in May, 300 and Superman Returns producer Scott Mednick gave us some early details on the upcoming live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. He revealed things such as the fact that it will definitely be live-action, that they’re using the original Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird comics as a starting point (citing them as, “the best source material”), and they’re trying to bring a whole new generation into the Turtles universe.

Expanding on the latter, Mednick has said the new movie will feature the origin of our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Last month we reported that a new live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was in the works. Since that time, Ninja Turtles co-creator Peter Laird has spoken up about what fans can expect from the new film; even more recently, MTV News spoke with Scott Mednick, producer of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film. And Mr. Mednick had quite a bit to say.

The re-make machine is now targeting our childhood by bringing back our favorite crime-fighting mutated turtles to the big screen. The project is said to focus on the origins of the team and will bring our heroes Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael and the wise master Splinter together for a new live-action adventure.

Another Wednesday and therefore another Mid-Week Movie Wrap up to furnish you with the latest movie news around.

This week we look at:

Why Tim Roth isn’t in Inglorious Bastards, who will be directing a new Tarzan film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles go live action, Jerry Bruckheimer decides that Killing Rommel is a good idea and we search for The 39 Clues.